Asked by: Dan Norris (Independent - North East Somerset and Hanham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many project licences for animal testing have been approved in the last five years; and what proportion of those included conditions requiring the use of New Approach Methodologies where available.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 does not allow testing on animals where there is a validated non-animal alternative available that would achieve the scientific outcomes sought.
The number of project licences granted are published in the Regulator’s Annual Report, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/animals-in-science-regulation-unit-annual-reports. The numbers for 2020 to 2023 are below. The Annual Report for 2024 will be published later this year.
Year | Number of project licences granted |
2020 | 478 |
2021 | 497 |
2022 | 490 |
2023 | 460 |
Asked by: Dan Norris (Independent - North East Somerset and Hanham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to review the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 to accelerate the transition to animal-free (a) research and (b) testing methodology.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government will soon publish a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods. It will set out how we can build on our support by creating a research and innovation system that replaces animal testing with alternative methods wherever possible.
The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act (ASPA) does not allow testing on animals where there is a validated non-animal alternative that would achieve the scientific outcomes sought. Section 20B of the ASPA already requires the development and validation of alternative strategies.
The Government already invests £10m annually in the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) to accelerate the development and adoption of 3Rs approaches.
Asked by: Dan Norris (Independent - North East Somerset and Hanham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to support access to public transport for care leavers.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This government recognises the importance of supporting care leavers and is keeping public transport accessible and affordable for them with the £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London and investment of over £1 billion to improve bus service reliability and frequency. Care leavers can also access the 16-25 Railcard, which provides 1/3 off the cost of rail travel for young passengers. We continue to support Strategic Authorities and Local Authorities who use their local transport funding, including the Local Authority Bus Grant, to provide targeted support for care leavers, such as through offering discounted fares.
Asked by: Dan Norris (Independent - North East Somerset and Hanham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether estates managed by the Government Property Agency took part in No Mow May.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government Property Agency (GPA) does not manage participation of No Mow May centrally. However, estates are encouraged to take part in such initiatives if operationally feasible on a site by site basis. As such several sites took part across the GPA estate.
Asked by: Dan Norris (Independent - North East Somerset and Hanham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of providing funding for projects to generate geothermal energy from former coal mines that have been flooded.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises that mine water heat shows good potential as a renewable source for heat networks. The technology was eligible for support through the Heat Network Investment Project from 2018 and is currently eligible for funding from the Green Heat Network Funding https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/green-heat-network-fund-ghnf. Mine water schemes at Gateshead and Seaham Garden Village have been supported through these schemes. Feasibility assessments have also been supported by Heat Network Delivery Unit Funding in other locations.
Asked by: Dan Norris (Independent - North East Somerset and Hanham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to protect face-to-face banking services for people in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the importance of face-to-face banking to communities, businesses and high streets in North East Somerset and Hanham, and across the country.
This is why the Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK. The UK banking sector has committed to deliver these hubs by the end of this Parliament.
Over 230 hubs have been announced so far, and over 160 are already open.
Banking hubs offer everyday counter services, allowing people and businesses to withdraw and deposit cash, pay bills and make balance enquiries. They also contain dedicated rooms where customers can see community bankers from their own bank to carry out wider banking services.
Alternative options to access everyday banking services can be via telephone banking, through digital means such as mobile or online banking, and via the Post Office. The Post Office Banking Framework allows personal and business customers to withdraw and deposit cash, check their balance, pay bills and cash cheques at 11,500 Post Office branches across the UK.
Asked by: Dan Norris (Independent - North East Somerset and Hanham)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions her Department plans to have with industry stakeholders on the development of a roadmap for phasing out the use of animals in scientific research.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing” and the Government is drafting a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods.
The Government has been consulting industry, academia and civil society as this process unfolds. Minister Vallance hosted a roundtable on 05.09.24 with industry representatives and officials have kept in regular contact with industry since then.
Asked by: Dan Norris (Independent - North East Somerset and Hanham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to apprenticeships on (a) young people and (b) businesses in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government’s first mission is to kickstart economic growth. We know that across the country skills gaps are holding back business growth and that we need to support employers to invest in skills training. That is why we are transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will provide greater flexibility to employers and learners, aligned to the industrial strategy.
As part of the offer, we are introducing new foundation apprenticeships to give young people a route into careers in critical sectors, allowing them to earn a wage while developing vital skills. The first foundation apprenticeships will be focussed on industrial strategy and priority areas including construction, social care, digital and engineering, with seven new foundation apprenticeship standards introduced from August 2025. We expect this to drive up to 30,000 apprenticeship starts across this Parliament, creating more skilled jobs for young people and fuelling innovation for businesses across the country, including North East Somerset and Hanham.
The growth and skills offer is informed by Skills England’s engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, to ensure that levy-funded training meets the needs of employers and learners.
Asked by: Dan Norris (Independent - North East Somerset and Hanham)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to improve the accessibility of government digital services in North East Somerset & Hanham constituency.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government published its Digital Inclusion Action Plan in February 2025, which outlines the first five actions we are taking over the next year to boost digital inclusion in every corner of the UK, including North East Somerset & Hanham.
These will be targeted at local initiatives for boosting digital skills and confidence, widening access to devices and connectivity, and getting support to people in their own communities so everyone can reap the benefits of technology.
We are committed to ensuring government online and digital services are accessible as possible alongside exploring how to extend the scope of the standards further.
Asked by: Dan Norris (Independent - North East Somerset and Hanham)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to improve digital inclusion in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government published its Digital Inclusion Action Plan in February 2025, which outlines the first five actions we are taking over the next year to boost digital inclusion in every corner of the UK, including North East Somerset & Hanham.
These will be targeted at local initiatives for boosting digital skills and confidence, widening access to devices and connectivity, and getting support to people in their own communities so everyone can reap the benefits of technology.
We are committed to ensuring government online and digital services are accessible as possible alongside exploring how to extend the scope of the standards further.